Handbook on Humanitarianism and Inequality - Chapter 37 - Power dynamics in the use of qualitative methods in humanitarianism
Every two weeks I am going to feature one of the chapters of our Handbook on Humanitarianism and Inequality which was published in spring 2024. This week we are taking a closer look at Chapter 37 - Power dynamics in the use of qualitative methods in humanitarianism - contributed by Margaux Pinaud, Kristina Tschunkert and Augusta Nannerini. From the introduction The aim of this chapter is to discuss some of the key power dynamics arising in qualitative research by humanitarian scholars and organisations. Specifically, we aim to show how using qualitative methods in a particular way and for a particular purpose may perpetuate the inequalities that humanitarianism seeks to address. Acknowledging and engaging with these dynamics, we suggest, does not limit the quality of the research or of the data, but is essential to generate ethical, inclusive, and nuanced knowledge. Our background on this topic is primarily academic, since we are young, female, European scholars employed by Eur...